Transfer news LIVE! Mbappe to Arsenal back on; Chelsea suffer Caicedo blow; Spurs latest
There is still plenty of life left in the summer transfer window despite a flurry of early deals. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has responded to talk of signing Kylian Mbappe while Mohammed Kudus and Romeo Lavia are targets, amid plans to sell on a number of reserves. Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal are tipped to be preparing a world-record offer for Mbappe.
Chelsea are very much still in the race for Moises Caicedo and Roberto De Zerbi has issued a hands-off warning amid Brighton’s £100million valuation of the midfielder. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has joined Marseille on a free transfer and Conor Gallagher has caught the eye of both Tottenham and West Ham.
Spurs have reportedly decided to advance with a move for Micky van de Ven and they’re also nearing a deal to sign Ashley Phillips from Blackburn. Andre Onana is officially a Manchester United player with Rasmus Hojlund next on their list, whereas Liverpool are set to lose both Fabinho and Jordan Henderson.
Live updates
Harry Kane interests Saudi Arabian big-spenders
Al Hilal have made contact with Harry Kane’s camp.
The Saudi Arabian club have enquired about the striker’s potential interest in moving to the Middle East, say Sky Sports.
However, Kane is reportedly not keen on the deal with Bayern Munich his preferred destination if he leaves Tottenham.
PSG to rival Man Utd for Rasmus Hojlund
Kylian Mbappe’s exit will launch the transfer market into a striker merry-go-round.
Gazzetta dello Sport say PSG will target Rasmus Hojlund of Atalanta if the Frenchman leaves, with a price tag of £82m on his head.
Manchester United are in talks to sign the Dane but could then move onto Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic should they miss out on Hojlund.
Levi Colwill could be part of Moises Caicedo talks
Roberto De Zerbi says Chelsea are not meeting the conditions to sign Moises Caicedo and that offering Levi Colwill could unlock a deal.
He said: “There are two questions. Not only about Caicedo, also about Colwill, and maybe it can be [a swap].
“I would like to play with Caicedo and Colwill together but at the moment I can only speak about Caicedo as Colwill is not one of my players.”
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Done deal! Nottingham Forest sign ex-Chelsea talent
Nottingham Forest have made their first signing of the summer with defender Ola Aina making the move to the midlands.
The Nigeria international, who came through the youth ranks at Chelsea, has signed a one-year deal with options for the future after leaving Torino this summer.
Aina had spent nearly five years – including one loan season at Fulham – with the Italian side in Serie A having moved there from Chelsea, initially on loan, in 2018.
The 26-year-old said: “I’m very excited to be here and I can’t wait to get started. I wanted to be back on English soil again and Forest is a club which has an exciting project and team.”
Thomas Partey staying at Arsenal
Thomas Partey will stay at Arsenal this summer despite being linked with a move away.
It had been reported that Mikel Arteta was ready to let the midfielder leave should a replacement be found, but the Gunners boss has now insisted he has a key role to play next season.
“Thomas Partey is a super-important player for us and for me and we want him to be in the team, that’s for sure,” he said.
“[Him and Declan Rice] can play together. That was in my plans.”
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Al-Hilal plot world record Kylian Mbappe bid
Kylian Mbappe is officially up for sale and has attracted the inevitable interest of Saudi Arabia.
Foot Mercato report on Al-Hilal, who are backed by the government’s sovereign wealth fund, plotting what may prove to be a world-record transfer for the French winger.
PSG currently hold that honour after signing Neymar for £190m.
Mbappe has been left out of his team’s pre-season tour having revealed he has no intention of extending his Paris stay past next summer, when he’s out of contract.
Kylian Mbappe addresses the French media ahead of Euro 2024 qualifiers against Gibraltar and Greece
/ AFP via Getty ImagesMan Utd setback in Rasmus Hojlund pursuit
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini has accepted that Rasmus Hojlund could join Manchester United – for £82million.
The fee, equivalent to €100m, would be a significant outlay for the Red Devils after a combined £112m was splashed on the signings of Mason Mount and Andre Onana.
A new striker is thought to be next on Erik ten Hag’s wish list with Hojlund, 20, eyed following a fine debut season in Italy, where he notched ten goals.
Gasperini has described the Dane as among Europe’s top young players and worthy of a hefty price tag.
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Andrey Santos set to avoid Chelsea loan exit
Mauricio Pochettino is impressed by young Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos and is increasingly considering keeping him at the club next season.
The 19-year-old is one of a host of players currently auditioning for Pochettino’s squad in pre-season and wants to avoid another campaign out on loan.
Chelsea executives have high hopes for their £18million January signing from Vasco da Gama and believe he is ready, with a work permit now secured.
However, the final decision rests with Pochettino, who wants to look at a host of his young stars before deciding whether or not they are ready for Chelsea’s first team.
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Josko Gvardiol not yet set for Man City
RB Leipzig have insisted that Manchester City are not close to signing Josko Gvardiol.
The Croatian centre-back is said to be a top target for the treble winners and it had been claimed that the two clubs had reached an agreement over a transfer fee, with a medical underway.
However, Leipzig boss Max Eberl has said that City remain “very far” from his team’s valuation of Gvardiol.
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Inter eye Gianluca Scamacca
Inter Milan could switch their transfer focus to West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca if Arsenal fail to lower Folarin Balogun’s £50million asking price.
Italy international Scamacca is keen to ensure that he is a regular starter next season after struggling in his first year in the Premier League.
The 24-year-old is open to a return to Serie A but West Ham have not ruled out keeping the player, despite his underwhelming maiden campaign in English football.
Balogun remains Inter’s first-choice target after they walked away from a £35m deal for Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku after discovering that he had been simultaneously talking to rivals Juventus.
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